Born in Eastwood on 6 October 1865, Benjamin Gregory was a right-arm medium pace bowler. Originally a miner with Digby Colliery and residing in the place of his birth, he was engaged as professional to Nottingham Amateurs CC in 1895. He made his First-Class debut for Notts against Gloucestershire at Trent Bridge in July 1895, when he had figures of 4-48 and 1-41 and looked decidedly promising. However that was sole appearance for the first-team that season.
In May 1896, he played for Notts Colts v Yorkshire Colts and took a hat-trick in a second innings analysis of 6-33. He made two county championship appearances in each of the 1896 and 1897 seasons but achieved little. His last game was versus Middlesex at Trent Bridge in August 1897. In five First-Class games, he had scored 9 runs @1.80 and took nine wickets @35.66. He also appeared in a two-day friendly for Notts v Staffordshire at Trent Bridge in 1897.
He was successfully engaged as a professional in the Lancashire League for six seasons – playing for Colne in 1897, Lowerhouse from 1898 to 1901 and for Burnley in 1902. In 121 games in the League he scored 557 runs @6.40 and took 439 wickets @10.73.
He was landlord of the Queen’s Head, Worksop until 1941, when he retired. Although he played county cricket under the name Benjamin Gregory, his correct name was Benjamin Bridge Simpson and he died in Kilton Hospital, Worksop on 27 January 1951 aged 87 years.
June 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 239